Archbishop Anthony Li Duan, an important figure in China’s divided Roman Catholic Church, died Thursday, an official of China’s state-approved church said. He was 78. Archbishop Li had had liver cancer for two years, the official said.

The archbishop, leader of the Xian diocese, in western China, played a major role in the church’s rebirth after severe persecution during the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976.

Arrangements made before Archbishop Li’s death should forestall a new round of strife, however. Last year, Anthony Dang Mingyan, 38, was appointed auxiliary bishop of Xian, with the pope’s approval, and consecrated by Archbishop Li, AsiaNews reported.

Archbishop Li was one of four Chinese bishops invited by Pope Benedict XVI to a major conference at the Vatican last fall. China barred all four from attending.